Devaney: "I would be surprised if we stayed at 33"

By Michael Smith:

St. Louis Rams General Manager Billy Devaney said today that as he prepared for the NFL draft, he firmly expected to use the first pick in the second round to select whoever was at the top of the Rams' board after the first day. But now that he's had time to evaluate the Rams' options, he expects to make a trade.

"I would be surprised if we stayed at 33," Devaney said in an interview on ESPN Radio.

So what changed? It could be that the players the Rams hoped to take with the 33rd overall pick were all snapped up in the first round. But from Devaney's comments, it sounds like it's more a matter of the Rams being blown away with all the offers they're getting for the pick.

So the Rams are almost certain to trade down, and now the only question is which offer they'll take, and which player will go off the board at the top of the second round.

Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo told the St. Louis Post Dispatch that the new format of the draft was a boon to the Rams.

Re: Devaney: "I would be surprised if we stayed at 33"

Sounds like the fish are nibbling, if not biting. The latest from nfldotcom:
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The Rams are fielding multiple trade offers for the 33rd overall draft pick, and some proposals include a 2011 first-round selection, league sources confirmed to NFL Network insider Michael Lombardi.

Re: Devaney: "I would be surprised if we stayed at 33"

Just found this on NFL.com. I would love a 2011 first for our 2nd! Especially if included another pick in this years draft. I really don't see a ton of value there for us in the top of the second this year.

The Rams are fielding multiple trade offers for the 33rd overall draft pick, and some proposals include a 2011 first-round selection, league sources confirmed to NFL Network insider Michael Lombardi.

Rams general manager Billy Devaney said Friday that “everything’s on the table at this point” regarding the opening pick of the second round, and he later told ESPN Radio that he would “be surprised if we stayed at 33.”